


Allies and Enemies

by CompletelyDifferent



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-07-16 15:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7273252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CompletelyDifferent/pseuds/CompletelyDifferent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Azula knew that a princess cannot have friends, only allies. Then why was she so distraught over Mai and Ty Lee's betrayal?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Allies and Enemies

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a one-shot I wrote all the way back in 2008, brought over to FF.net and with some minor editing. It's been so long since the finale aired, and I still feel so sorry for poor Azula :(

For the Fire Nation Princess, there are no friends; only allies. Allies and enemies.

To have friends, you give away your trust- the most dangerous weapon in the world. With friends you are weak.

It had always been that way, for as long as she could remember. When she was a child, she realized she could use her power to get her way. The servants would listen to her, get her everything she needed. They took care of her, protected her. But they were only servants. Allies.

It was the same for family- her Uncle, the Crown Prince, and her cousin Lu Ten. She knew if she got on their good side, one day she too would have their power.

But she wasn't satisfied with that. After years of family outings and royal gatherings her patience began to wear thin with Iroh and his son. Lu Ten was boring, too soft spoken for her tastes. And Uncle's such a fuddy duddy, she would think. Hardly suited to be Fire Lord.

Eventually, those allies became her enemies.

And then there was her mother. She was always butting in, disgracing her. You cannot threaten the servants, Azula, do you understand me? Or once, in the middle of a banquet; How dare you say that! Apologize right now, young lady!

The worst thing was that she would never act that way with Zuko. Instead, Ursa would play with him, tuck him in at night. Why does she love him more than me? Azula would ask herself.

Ursa, too, became an enemy.

Then, suddenly, everything changed. Lu Ten died at war. Her Uncle, stricken with grief, lost the victory at Ba Sing Se. Her mother disappeared, although Azula was sure she'd been killed by the Fire Lord's guards, who were sworn into secrecy.

And the true victory? Fire Lord Azulon was dead, leaving the thrown to his youngest son, seeing as Iroh was 'no longer fit'. She was now Princess Azula.

Her power grew even more, if that was possible. The gifts she was given by cousins and other noblemen became more extravagant; pearl earrings that glinted like moonlight, dresses of the finest silk, knives with rubies in their hilts. And without her mother to punish her, nobody could tell her what to do.

But her happiness quickly turned sour. She was only Princess. Her brother was the one who would inherit the crown.

It seemed so ridiculous. Zuko was rash, quick to anger and weak, terrible traits for a leader. And he couldn't even fire-bend properly! She would be so much better suited to be Fire Lord.

There was only one way, she knew. Somehow she would have to get her brother out of the picture. Maybe, when she was older, she'd hire an assassin… or, she could make it look like an accident…

But beneath her scheming, even if she'd never admit it, there was a little bit of regret. She didn't really want turn this particular ally into an enemy. Zuko was still her brother.

So when the Prince was banished, sent on a fool's quest, Azula was satisfied. Her brother was out of the way, and she hadn't needed to do a thing. And if she was at all sad for Zuko's fate, she hid it underneath a shell of cold conceit.

She had come a long way since then. She had gone to finishing school, completing her education. She had mastered the art of lightning, the most advanced aspect of fire-bending, by the age of fourteen. She had executed the coup which had finally felled Ba Sing Se's great wall. She had been at the top of the world.

And then came that terrible day.

It should have been easy. Enter the prison, get Zuko, and use him as a demonstration. Get the Avatar and his friends, if it was possible. It was all going so well until…

There was a silver flash of knifes. Guards were pinned to the wall. The gondola drifted through the steam, Zuko and his companions escaping.

And standing in the middle of it was Mai, as calm and dark as the night.

You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you.

A silent scream raged in the Azula's heart. Mai- Mai couldn't have done this! She couldn't! Not Mai, who'd played in the garden with her, who'd privately griped about her stifling parents, who'd embraced her as almost no one else had. Not Mai- she was an ally, she was a-

No.

A fire welled up in Azula; a terrible, icy fire. It raced up her arms, to her finger tips. It sparked and flared, desperate to escape. Desperate to strike down that pathetic girl, to teach her a lesson.

Bam!

The spark died in her hand, and a terrible pain shot through the princess's body.

Azula fell to the floor with a gasp.

Ty Lee rushed to Mai's side, her grey eyes filled with desperation. The two friends were instantly surrounded by guards. There was no chance of escape.

Slumped on the ground, Azula face pressed against the rough metal grating, unable to move. Her limbs felt dull, heavy as lead, but her mind was an inferno of hatred. She shot her two enemies a glare.

Put them somewhere where I'll never have to see their faces again!

Everything had gone wrong. Zuko and the other prisoners had escaped, and Mai and Ty Lee had turned on her… where had her planning gone wrong?

It doesn't matter, Azula thought fiercely. There will be other chances to catch the Avatar and my brother. And who cares about the other two? They were just allies! Easily replaceable.


End file.
